Sunday, October 18, 2015

In August 2007 Michael Vick was convicted on felony charges of dog fighting at his Virginia farm. Two months later Jodi Preis1 of Tennessee organized National Pit Bull Awareness Day (NPBAD), an annual event which takes place on the last Saturday of every October.

In the eight year period before Ms Preis launched NPBAD (Oct 1999 to Oct 2007) pit bulls killed 97 men, women, and children. In the subsequent eight year period pit bulls have killed 174 men, women, and children, an increase of 180%. Over the last four years pit bulls have killed humans at an average rate of one every two weeks.

October has become National Pit Bull Awareness Month, during which shelters and humane societies across the country launch their annual outreach campaigns. One component of the public relations blitz is to place articles praising pit bulls in the major media, as part of their effort to adopt out more of these dogs into family environments.

The New York Times has resisted publishing such free advertising for pit bulls . . . until this year. On October 1st, timed to coincide with National Pit Bull Awareness Month, the Times published the first of several articles promoting pit bulls. The Times subsequently published pit positive articles on October 7th, 9th, and 10th, and there may be more to come.

The October 1st NY Times article, Dogs Hurting the Most Have a Special Place to Heal, is a 1500 word argumentum ad misericordiam.2 This article, or a localized version of it, has been published in nearly every major media market in the United States over the last several years. Many of these articles are published as a result of outreach from advocacy groups, and could have been ghostwritten by them. When it comes to pit bulls there is an obvious disconnect between what happens in the editorial boardrooms and what happens outside their doors.

The Times, like other major newspapers, appears indifferent to the toll of devastating economic hardship, grief, and suffering caused by pit bull attacks on their own turf. The Times did not cover the September 6th attack on 15- year old Briana Neira. Briana was attacked by a pit bull the family had rescued from a city operated shelter that very day. Nor did the Times cover the September 8th attack on a homeless man in Brooklyn, which was stopped only when the dog was shot by an off-duty corrections officer.

The Times failed to report on the eruption of attacks in the East Village in August and September. Nor did the Times cover the September 11th attack on Francesco Bove, an attack so violent that a priest at Mount Carmel gave Bove last rites. Farther afield, the October 5th attack on an Appleton couple, by their recently rescued pit bull, went unreported.

The Times has devoted many column inches to the plight of pit bulls, but certainly the human victims of pit bull attacks are more deserving of our consideration. It is because the media, including the New York Times, has failed to report the victims' stories that the victims, those who are able, have been forced to tell the story themselves.

Exactly a year ago, at the prestigious ArtPrize Competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the country's first Pit Bull Victims Memorial, an installation by Joan Marie Kowal, was displayed; Ms Kowal's memorial jump-started the victims movement. New Facebook pages to promote public safety legislation restricting dangerous breeds continue to come on line.

The stalwart Dogsbite.org has advocated for victims' rights since founder Colleen Lynn was attacked in 2007. Dawn James, blogging as Craven Desires, has been an unrelenting critic of irresponsible owners and is a meticulous researcher of advocacy misinformation. Animals 24/7, in addition to their invaluable articles on global animal health and welfare, has exhaustively tracked dog attack statistics by breed for over 30 years. Jeff Borchardt, whose son Daxton was killed in March, 2013, has become a powerful voice for victims. Barbara Kay, the Canadian journalist and cultural critic, has contributed eloquent, incisive articles.

Two new web pages have recently come on line which are certain to influence the course of the debate. Ban Pit Bulls is a new legislative resource for writers, journalists, and reporters, pulling together information from hundreds of sources. The second, National Pit Bull VICTIM Awareness Day, represents the victims rather than celebrating the breed responsible for attacks on them. If justice prevails in the world this new site will eclipse its predecessor, "NP-BAD".

Visit these powerful new resources; if you breathe air and have blood in your veins you will be moved to tears.

* * * * *Notes:1 Ms Preis is also founder of Bless the Bullys, a Tennessee pit bull rescue. 2 Appeal to Pity, or Appeal to Sympathy, a logical fallacy.3 See ArtPrize and Pit Bulls

Statistics:
Statistics quoted on SRUV are from the nation's authoritative source for current dog attack statistics, the 30+ year, continuously updated Dog attack deaths and maimings, U.S. & Canada.View or download the current PDF

Definitions:
SRUV uses the definition of "pit bull" as found in the Omaha Municipal Code Section 6-163. As pit bulls are increasingly crossed with exotic mastiffs, Catahoula Leopard Dogs and other breeds, the vernacular definition of "pit bull" must be made even more inclusive.

Sources cited by news media sometimes refer to "Animal Advocates" or sometimes "Experts." In many cases these words are used to refer to single-purpose pit bull advocates who have never advocated for any other breeds or species of animals. Media would be more accurate to refer to these pit bull advocates as advocates of fighting breeds.

Similarly, in many cases pit bull advocates refer to themselves as "dog lovers" or "canine advocates" and media often accepts this usage. The majority of these pit bull advocates are single-purpose advocates of fighting breeds.

Sunday, October 4, 2015

The Spring silliness began with the story of a protracted legal battle in Hawthorn Woods, pitting the city against residents Brian and Jean Bacardi. By the Spring of 2015 Hawthorn Woods had spent over $28,000 in legal fees on the case; in response the Bacardis invested more than $15,000 in legal fees and at least $10,000 in boarding fees for their dogs. In February, 2013 the Bacardis had filed a lawsuit against the village. In May, 2014, Brian Bacardi was jailed for eight days for contempt of court.1

The reason for the protracted standoff? Over a period of eight years, since the Bacardi's got their eight-week old puppy Heidi, she has accumulated a lengthy rap sheet. Between 2008 and 2015 the Bacardis have been reported to various municipalities or Animal Controls (in Illinois and Florida) at least 25 times for violations, including biting and roaming dogs. At least two delivery men and a child received bites to the groin.2 In violation of vicious dog orders the Bacardis refused to install a physical fence, defied court orders to remove Heidi from the city, and then defied orders to surrender her for humane euthanasia.

In the Chicago Tribune article3 Heidi is referred to, seven times, as a Beagle. Adult Beagles weigh no more than 22-25 lbs. This is a Beagle:

Heidi, on the other hand, weighs at least 40 - 50 lbs, perhaps twice as much as a normal Beagle. There is one telling reference in the article to Heidi as a Beagle mix. Photos of Heidi are copyright protected and are not reproduced here. The photo below is a Beagle x pit bull, and is strikingly similar in appearance to published images of Heidi:

The author of the article, Ronnie Wachtler, carefully described Heidi's repeated biting, as well as the obstinacy of the Bacardis. But the takeaway appears to be that the village of Hawthorn Woods recklessly spent tax dollars on persecuting a harmless little Beagle.4

All this anguish, all the bites, all the police and Animal Control man hours, all of the legal rigamarole, all of the wasted tax dollars, all of the wasted energy over many years, the clogging of the courts with useless, frivolous cases: all of it is easily understood once we acknowledge that Heidi is first and foremost a pit bull mix.

With that understanding the takeaway is changed: pit bull genes are now, sadly and perhaps irreversibly, widely dispersed in the rescue and shelter gene pool. For many of us the good old American mutt, loaded with hybrid vigor and boundless good cheer, is a thing of the past. Adopting a dog from a shelter or rescue has become a high risk activity.5

* * * * *

The account of Heidi the biting 'beagle' was lost in the clamor over another story that broke the same day and was widely reported. Armed robbers took three pit bulls, two of which were pregnant, from a backyard breeding operation. The pit bulls appear to be "American Bullies" and are reportedly valued at $15,000 each.

Many of the commenters under published news accounts expressed outrage that the story was widely reported as an armed robbery of a law-abiding business, while nowhere was it noted that the backyard breeders were running a tax-free operation supplying high-end fighting breed dogs.

Doing the numbers on this robbery: pit bulls often whelp ten or more puppies; 20 puppies @ $15,000 = $300,000. Even if the pups only brought in $500/ea the take could amount to $10,000. We assume the backyard breeders are back in business with their remaining dogs.

* * * * *

The Animal Protective League in Springfield, Illinois, made headlines for harboring or adopting out dangerous dogs. Volunteer James Sanders was attacked by Stewart, who is advertised on the agency’s website as a 49-pound pit bull mix puppy. Following the attack on Sanders the APL continued to promote Stewart for adoption. Later reports indicate that Sanders was prepared to sue to halt the adoption of Stewart.

One of the most bizarre news stories came from WGN TV9 Chicago. In a brief (105 word) account the station described the attack, in which two small dogs were killed, as a fight in which the pit bull survived. The real story is told in an eloquent, outraged comment posted by Marc Brown:

How dare you call a vicious pit bull attack on two small dogs a ‘fight’? How dare you say ‘the pit bull survived’, as if the pit bull’s life was in danger as it attacked two small dogs? In fact, this pit bull’s life should have been in danger and it should have died on the spot — someone should have choked, stabbed or shot it to death.

How dare you call Chicago Pit Bull Care and Protection ‘Animal Care and Control’? The only thing that agency does in Chicago is make sure pit bull type dogs will live to maul or kill another day, no matter whether those pit bulls have killed a dog or a child.

Mr Brown deserves a journalism watchdog award.

* * * * *

Among the accounts of attacks on humans and on our More Vulnerable Animal Companions in Illinois this summer, there were also a few uplifting stories. A former Olympic boxer fought off a pit bull as it attacked an 8-year-old boy on the Chicago's South Side. The child was initially taken to Metro South Hospital in Blue Island, then transferred to Christ Hospital for further treatment. Officials say he may have permanent damage to one of his legs.

The Good Samaritan, Danell Nicholson, also received injuries during the encounter and was hospitalized.

In a related incident, a UPS driver was rescued by a postal carrier after being attacked by a pit bull in the North Austin neighborhood on Chicago's West Side. UPS driver Jesus Toledo received injuries to his ear, head, forearm, hands and ankle, and underwent surgery at West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park. Animal care has up to 30 days to make a determination about the dog’s future. It can be returned to its owner, banished from the city or destroyed, said a spokesman for the city’s department of Animal Care and Control.

* * * * *

The most heart-wrenching story to emerge from this Carnival of Madness is the death of 9-year old James W. Nevils III. His grandfather stood in the doorway of his home, grave and dignified in his anguish, and choking back his tears, delivered this lovely eulogy for the TV cameras:

He was a good boy, a very good boy. I just can't believe he's gone. I'm just devastated. . . . He was all boy. Basketball, football, he was all boy. He was a loving little kid.

Pit bull could be euthanized after mauling Alsip boy
May 6, 2015; Chicago Tribune
[Editor's note: this attack was unreported, and only made the news when it appeared the attacking dog was about to be euthanized. Matthew Dancho was hospitalized for three days after the attack.]

Definitions:
SRUV uses the definition of "pit bull" as found in the Omaha Municipal Code Section 6-163. As pit bulls are increasingly crossed with exotic mastiffs, Catahoula Leopard Dogs and other breeds, the vernacular definition of "pit bull" must be made even more inclusive.

Sources cited by news media sometimes refer to "Animal Advocates" or sometimes "Experts." In many cases these words are used to refer to single-purpose pit bull advocates who have never advocated for any other breeds or species of animals. Media would be more accurate to refer to these pit bull advocates as advocates of fighting breeds.

Similarly, in many cases pit bull advocates refer to themselves as "dog lovers" or "canine advocates" and media often accepts this usage. The majority of these pit bull advocates are single-purpose advocates of fighting breeds.